Pantograph lubricator



March 30,'1937. W. SCHAAKE PANTOGRAPH LUBRICATOR "Inl I'IIII'IA {NVENTOR W/Y//dm Schan/(s Filed Feb. 14, 1934 1||\ I l I I l I l l I I Il WITNESSES I Patented Mar. 30, 1937 vUNITED STATES PANTOGRAPH LUBRICATOR William Schaake, Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 14, 1934, Serial No. 711,124

7 Claims.

My invention relates, generally, to current collectors for electric vehicles and it has particular relation to lubricating devices for pantograph slider shoes.

In the operation of current collectors for electric vehicles, in which a slider shoe of the pantograph type is used, an abrasive action results due to the shoe moving along the overhead conductor or trolley wire. Ordinarily, the slider shoe is composed of steel, and this shoe in sliding contact with a trolley wire of copper or the like will cause a very rapid wearing action both on the trolley wire and on the slider shoe.

In order to reduce to a minimum this abrasive action, many systems have been proposed for providing a lubricating medium between the pantograph slider shoe and the trolley wire. Some of these devices involved the use of a wick which is arranged to dip in a fluid lubricant, and,

by capillary attraction, the lubricant is caused to rise and to be applied to the surfaces which are in contact and which are to be lubricated. Ithas also been proposed to provide a liquid or semi-solid lubricant in grooves in the slider shoe. Still other modifications comprise the use of auxiliary slider shoes containing either a liquid or a solid lubricant and caused to resiliently engage the trolley wire either in front of or behind the slider shoe.

At the present time, it is well known that electric vehicles, such as electric locomotives, with which pantograph collecting devices are used, travel at relatively high speeds, such as 80 to 100 miles per hour. When a lubricating device is used on a pantograph which is to travel at such speeds, it must be such as will eiectively perform its lubricating function and still will not interfere with the satisfactory operation of the current collector. Due to the high speed and slight irregularities which always exist in the construction of the overhead conductor system and the track, it is highly desirable that the lubricating device shall have a minimum of inertia and be relatively freely movable so that it may be continutusly maintained in engagement with the trolley wire under all conditions.

Furthermore, the lubricating device should be so positioned that its operation will not be affected by the relatively high wind pressures which exist when the electric vehicle is travelling at the relatively high speeds. It has been found that the effects of the high wind pressure may be such as to cause the current collecting equipment to be moved out of contact engagement with the trolley wire with the result that considerable arcing exists and erratic operation of the vehicle follows.

'Ihe object of my invention, generally stated, is to provide a lubricating device for pantograph slider shoes which shall be simpleand efficient in operation and which may be readily and economically manufactured and installed.

The principal object of my invention is to provide for reducing the abrasive action between a pantograph slider shoe and a trolley wire as the shoe is moved along in engagement with the wire.

Another object of my invention is to provide for reducing the inertia of a pantograph lubricating device to a minimum, in order to permit the current collector with which it isassociated to more readily follow and remain in engagement with the trolley wire.

Still another object of my invention is to provide for protecting the pantograph lubricator from coming into engagement with any obstruction which might tear it from its mounting.

A further object of my invention is to provide for maintaining a pantograph lubricating device in continuous engagement with an overhead trolley wire under all conditions of operation.

Other objects of my invention will, in part, be obvious and, in part, appear hereinafter. My invention, accordingly, is disclosed in the embodiment hereof shown in the accompanying drawing, and comprises the features of construc-v tion, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exempliedin the construction hereinafter set forth, and thel scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims. I

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of my invention, referencemay be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, in side elevation, of a concrete embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan View of the major portion of the slider shoe shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the pantograph slider shoe showing the details of construction Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is another enlarged sectional view taken along the line V-V of Fig. 3.

Referring now particularly to Figs. l., 2 and 3 of the drawing, the reference character lll designates a pantograph slider shoe having a down- Vturned flanged section, as is more clearly illus trated in Figs. V4 and 5 of the drawing. The slider shoe III is provided with the customary end horns II and I2, which serve to Vprevent the current collecting apparatus from becoming en- 5 tangled with the overhead conductor or trolley wire I3, which, under normal conditions, is centrally located with respect to the slider shoe I0. yIt will be understood that -the slider shoe I0 may be supported by the customary pantograph structure,rwhich, since it forms no part of this invention, is shown only insofar as is necessary to indicate that the upper portions I4 and i5 'thereof may beV secured to the rslider shoe IIJ by means of transversely extending bolts I6 and I1.

In order to provide for reducing'the wearing or abrasive action caused by the frictional engagement of the upper surface of the slider shoe I0 with the trolley wire I3 as it is moved,

for instance, in the direction indicated by the arrow I8,a lubricating device shown generally at I9 is provided. The lubricating device I9 com prises Van articulated solid lubricating member 20, which may be composed of three'sections 2|,

25 22 and 23, as shown in Fig. 3 for reducing the is normally in the same plane as the contact surface of the slider shoe I0 when bothare in engagement with the trolley wire I3. However, when the current collector is out of engage- .ment with the trolley wire I3, the upper surface 4'0 ofthe lubricating member 20 will be positioned slightly above the contact surface of the slider shoe I0, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the' drawing, by means which will be presently described.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawing, it will be observed that the articulated sections 2I, 22 and 23 of the lubricating member2-are vpositioned in a holder 21and may be secured therein by means of cotter pins 28. The holder 21 is preferably'composed of steel and is formed into a rectangular box-like Y structure which is arranged to be mounted underneath the slider shoe II) and aligned with the opening 24 therein.Y In Vorderwto limit the upward `movement of the holder 21 and thereby `the upward movement `of the lubricating member 2o, the homer 21 isV provided with a. flange 2a around the upper edges vthereof and extending outwardly, as is more clearly illustrated in Fig, 5 of the drawing. Since the innerY dimensions of the aperture 24 are the same as the inner di- '50 mensions of the holder `2I, it will .be readily understood that the upward movement of the latter may be limited by means oi the flange'29. Asset forth hereinbefore, it is desirable to so mount the lubricating member 2IlthatY it will remain in engagementV withV the overhead conductor or trolley wire I3 Yunder substantially all operating conditions. For this purpose, the holder'2'I is resiliently mountedby means of a pair ofrflat or leaf 'support springs 3I and 32 which 'are secured tothe undersurfae of the holder 27 by Vmeans of rivets 33. It will be observed that the support springs 3| and 32 are secured lto bolts4 35 and 36, which are located near the ends ofthe slider shoe I0, andV which extend .75 transversely through the Vdown-turned flanged Inthe event that any of the sections ZI', 22

and 23 of the "lubricating member 20 become worn to such an extent that they no longer project above the surface of the slidershoek I0, it Will be readily understood that they may be replaced merely by withdrawing the Cotter pink 28l individual thereto and inserting a new sec- Y tion,`

It may also ybe desirable to reduce the relative depth of the holder 21 from that shown, so that a greater portion of the lubricating member 20 may be subject to wear than would other- Wise be possible. This, however, it will be understood, Vis merely a matter of design which will beV governed by the conditions which' are most applicable thereto. Since thejlubricating device I9 is located sub Ystantially` entirely within the connes of the slider shoe I0, there is little, if any, likelihood that it will become dislodged due to engagement n with any obstruction, which might otherwise Vbe the case if it were mounted separateV from the slider shoe I0. In view of the fact that a mini-- mum of supporting structure is required for the lubricating member 20, when it isv constructed.

and located as herein described, it will be obvious that the inertia of the entire lubricating device I9 has been practicallyv reduced to the absolute minimum.Y There will, therefore, `be a minimum of Yinterference with the operation of the slider shoe I0, as it is carried bythe pantograph structure to maintain it in engagementy with the trolley wire I3 at the high speeds which are now customary for the operation ofelectric vehicles. Y l

.Since certain further changes may be made in the above construction and different .embodiments of the invention may be made without dec parting from ltheV scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained` in the abovedescription or shown in the accompanying drawing shall f be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting i Sense. Y

nal axis of the shoe, the' contact surface of ysaid shoe being provided with'ankaperture, a holder positioned underneath theshoe and alignedwith and movable relative to said aperture, retaining n means extending through said down-turnedchan-Y nel section near each end thereof, support springs attached to the ends of said holder and secured to said retaining means', and a solid lubricating rmember carried by said holder to extend upwardly through said aperture and disposedV to engage said trolley wire. Y '4 j 2. Current collecting means for an electric vehicle comprising, in combination, an elongated` pantograph slider` shoe having a down-,turned channel section for engaging an overhead trolley wire substantially at right angles to the longitudinalr axis of the shoe, the contact surface'of said wire substantially at right angles to the longitudi-Y l shoe being provided with a centrally located.

limit the upward movement thereof beyond a predetermined extent, a bolt extending through said down-turned channel section near each end thereof, lat support springs attached to the ends 5 of said holder and secured to said bolts, and an articulated solid lubricating member carried by said holder and positioned to extend upwardly through said aperture for engaging said trolley W1re.

l0 3. A current collector for an electric vehicle comprising, in combination, a pantograph slider shoe for engaging an overhead trolley wire having an aperture in the contact surface thereof, a holder aligned with and movable relative to said 15 aperture, resilient means for biasing said holder upwardly, and an articulated lubricating member of solid material carried by said holder and projecting through said aperture to engage said trolley wire.

20 4. A current collector for an electric vehicle comprising, in combination, a pantograph slider shoe for engaging an overhead trolley Wire having an aperture in the contact surface thereof, a holder aligned With and movable relative to said 25 aperture, leaf spring means for biasing said holder upwardly, and a solid lubricating member carred by said holder and extending through said aperture to engage said trolley wire.

o 5. A current collector for an electric vehicle "0 comprising, in combination, a pantograph slider shoe for engaging an overhead trolley wire having an aperture in the contact surface thereof, a holder aligned With and movable relative to said aperture, leaf spring means for biasing said holder upwardly, and an articulated lubricating member of solid material carried by said holder and projecting through said aperture to engage said trolley wire.

6. A current collector for an electric vehicle comprising, in combination, a pantograph slider shoe for engaging an overhead trolley wire having an aperture in the contact surface thereof, a holder aligned with and movable relative to said aperture, leaf spring means secured to each end of said holder and to the underside of said slider shoe for biasing said holder upwardly, and a solid lubricating member carried by said holder and extending through said aperture to engage said trolley wire.

7. A current collector for an electric vehicle comprising, in combination, a pantograph slider shoe for engaging an overhead trolley wire having an aperture in the contact surface thereof, a holder aligned with and movable relative to said aperture, leaf spring means secured to each end of said holder and to the underside of said slider shoe for biasing said holder upwardly, and an articulated lubricating member of soild material carried by said holder and projecting through said aperture to engage said trolley wire.

WILLIAM SCHAAKE. 

